That concept of line-of-sight relay also works at
ground level to keep dispersed units connected without satellites, noted Lt. Col. Jeff Kawada, the MAGTF
Electronic Warfare (EW) and Operational Cyber
Operations branch head at CDI.

“If I can talk to my buddy, I can create a networkwith him,” Kawada said. And that can be multiplied byas many other units that are within line-of-sight com-munications with another. “So we create these meshnetworks.”Other tools to create larger meshed networksSpataro cited are dirigibles or aerostats that canprovide a longer-range communications relay, andlaunching the smaller and relatively inexpensive microor nano satellites to replace the disrupted strategicspace systems. The Marine Corps is not responsible forthose alternative satellites.

Another conduit for extended communications
without satellites is the high-frequency (HF) radio
spectrum, which can span great distances.

HF is being used but is less desirable for deployedground forces “because your data throughput, yourbandwidth, is very low,” said Capt. Edgardo Cardona,MAGTF EW capabilities integration officer at CDI. “Butthere are a lot of advances there and, if you knowwhat you’re doing, it’s a pretty reliable means ofcommunications.”Like HF, many of the other alternative networksystems can handle smaller amounts of data flow thanthe global network, which increases the importance ofanother technology CDI is pursing — computer pro-grams and operating procedures that limit the type andquantity of data flowing from strategic levels to thetactical units in the field.

Enabling distributed units “to pull” only the tactical
data they need, rather than being swamped by strategic-level information, is one of the goals of research into
greater autonomy in electronic systems, Cardona said.

“We need to have hardware, [and] software that are
able to know what the commander’s intent is and take
information and put it in a form that’s useful” to the
tactical units, he said.

In dealing with organizations working the C4 issue,“we said we want scalable operational pictures,”Cardona said. While the MAGTF commanders haveample bandwidth and the staff to process that data, thecompany commanders and squad leaders in the field“have Android devices out there, which are simply thedisplay port.”But they can use software to “select what overlaysthey want to be fed, via whatever networks, or lack ofnetworks, that they’re currently in touch with,” he said.

Limiting data flow also is a step toward breaking
the dependency on richly equipped static command
centers that Marines have gotten used to, which is
another of Neller’s targets.

“We got very comfortable with forward-operating
bases with a lot of information, full-motion video whenever we wanted it” and fiber-optics communications,
Foley said, echoing Neller’s complaints. But “computers
have gotten smaller to the point where you have wearable devices” that replace massive television sets “with
something I can wear on my kit.” Now Marines must
train to operate in that limited-information environment while on the move, he added.

Several of the officers also cited the value of electronic and cyber warfare Marines being able to help the
distributed units by countering the enemy’s ability to
find and target them.

Among the thrusts of the Marine Operating Concept
and Force 2025 “is the ability to take information warfare, under which is EW and cyber capabilities,” and
make them part of the combined arms, indirect fires
effect currently associated with kinetic weapons, Foley
said. He envisioned an EW or cyber Marine, possibly
operating from a great distance, putting “information
fires” on the enemy. n

U.S.MARINECORPSMarines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 274’s Engineer Company,Heavy Equipment Platoon, review their map during a land navigationcourse at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Jan. 13, 2016.During the 19-point course, 20 Marines headed to the field to gainexperience in the basic land navigation process.